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 Rated: PG
Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, Joan Plowright, David Strathairn
Directed by: Mark Waters
The wonderful world of The Spiderwick Chronicles
combines some of the creative wonders of Harry Potter and The
Chronicles of Narnia and then adds a dab of Jumanji for an excellent film
for the whole family. The storyline,
although slight, is an enjoyable treat that gets you involved from the
beginning to its mischievous end.
Arthur Spiderwick disappeared from his home, leaving behind a
daughter, Lucinda, to fend for herself.
However, Lucinda has had a bad time of with her father left behind. It seems that a force of nature gone wild has
driven poor Lucinda to a mental institution.
The Grace family, consisting of impending divorcee Helen and her three
children, Jared, Simon and Mallory, have inherited the now run-down and secluded
Spiderwick house from her great Aunt Lucinda.
Jared was against the move from their previous home and becomes the
thorn in his mother’s side, while also alienating his siblings. Upon finding Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide,
Jared starts to see goblins and elves. When an Ogre trying to get the Field
Guide attacks Jared, he pleas with his sister and brother to help him save the
book.
The special
effects and animatronics in The Spiderwick Chronicles are
brilliant. The detail on the hordes of
pesky trolls and goblins make them look devilish, yet their actions are sometimes
comical. I enjoyed the fantasy created
by these masters and it made the film work.
The prize is the monstrous Ogre who challenges Jared and his
sister in battle. The images of the ugly
beast are horrific, but the power of the family love that defeats it is
stronger.
Highmore
does a terrific job playing both Jared and Simon. The two are so opposite—you get the
feeling they don’t belong in the same family.
But, Highmore handles the dialogue, positioning and green screen effects
with ease. An upcoming star, he should
see his horizon very soon.
Plowright
makes a wonderful Aunt Lucinda with the interjection of some of her quirky
facial expressions. She really shines
when Lucinda finally realizes Jared knows more about the Field Guide than
she thought.
Although The
Spiderwick Chronicles are in the children’s book section at the library,
those who liked the Harry Potter series should also enjoy this film. I loved it, and have hopes for a sequel.
FINAL ANALYSIS: The
Spiderwick Chronicles is a wonderful and enjoyable film for the whole
family.
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